The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-20
HOW PIANOS ARE BUILT.
CURIOUS FACTS REGARDING THEIB
MANUFACTURE IND SALE

| mfNOFACTUhE AND 6ALE
Many Makers to One Piano-FsneirsI Nsues
| limitations OF Costly Woods - smart
Tricks In sciiinR-Why Makers Fail.
Piano fortes arc no longer manufactured,
but arc built. Only two or three OF the hum
| dreds OF plano factories In this country can
Justly claim to make their instruments from
beginning to finish
Largo establishments devoted TO the manu-
| facture OF some particular portions OF the In
strument have sprung ur OF late, and have
| 30 revolutionized the art of piano making
| that In some shops not single part OF the
completed instrument is made In the factory
There are probably dozen places in New
York and vicinity devoted exclusively to the
making OF cases. A like number mako the
beautiful and delicate piece Of mechanism
known rs the action. and as many foundries
cast the heavy iron plates which sustain the
enormous strain Of tho strings. There are also
manufacturers OF sounding boards and OF
wrest planks into which the tuning pins are
set. cnrvcrs OF legs. Tyres, and trusses, i'm
porters Of felts and cloths, winders OF wrapped
strings for tho lower notes, and drawers OF
thinner wires for the upper notes.
Several large houses make O specially Of
pianoforte hardware. and q half dozen cutters
OF ivory supply complete key boards with black
hoyo Vi Cpohy aiu WHltO keyb VI u medium
quality Of ivory. Other establishments mako
keys Of various compositions principally OF
colluloid. and oven the stencil plates for tho
name are often furnished by the varnish dealer
Thus. nothing romans to be made at the fac.
tory but the name. and that lis sometimes Of
the most adroit workmanship.
One OF the largest buildings on the west side
OF this city with capacity for turning out the
enormous number Of sixty to seventy 1--WE com.
pleted instruments week. makes no part Of
the piano but tho name. and quite frequently
even that is furnished to them by the dealer
who buys largely enough to justify having his
own name put on as the maker.
Sometimes a name is manufactured having
SO close resemblance to that of some one Of
the est-known makers as to mislead the I'M
wary; Steinweg pianos have been sold to peo-
genuine steinway. HazIeman to admirers Of
fiondly believed they had secured a Decker
by the score have gone Into the homes Of those
who thought they had bargain in Weber.
will not justify demanding high price for
panes s
is mot h0 to b inferred hH It'll at n;
II, The quality Of pianoforte depends upon
which it is constructed and finished. '' "'''
The scale is q matter Of scientific accuracy In
frame over Which the Strings are stretched, and
its adjustment to the sounding board. This is
generally most readily arrived At by
scale Is copied. often BY making casting from
equipped with a successful scale. without OK
per perl. any OF the delay and disappoint-
ths in search OF the
The casemaker is next visited. and 1t is found
that moderate price will buy O case suitable
Tor high, instrument. and one less elab.
crate made OF lighter material, can be had foi
a surprisingly small sum-
and ash, veneered with something more expen.
p sve. Is getting its first coat Of the stain which
the skilled worRmen are puttng Tie f Ga ana
sounding board together. The stringing is
then done. the pins being driven into place
screwed in as in the Old fashioned dAys q CON.
scientious work and high prices.
or, having received its several coats of varnish,
-, More rosewood pianos are made than OF all
With rosewood nowadays M "t' f'A'''
vii! not soon show small ohinks and cracks
San be produced * staining. il Is usual 70
veneer the cases With mahogsny or bayyood
real ebony is ever used for similar reasons
and also because large pieces Of ebony veneer
After the stain comes the vanishing. This
done BY c4ntrae the ysrnsh
and buying the yarnish himself.
ron frame and sounding board. the action Is
places IN position and the wires get the first
By lis xii But ifT The ef PRICE at shieS
t is to be sold does not Justify such luxuries az
nd nrfcv
responsive touch. the soul makers response.
oilities are not exacting.
putting on lock and hinges. and the instrS.
nent Is then ready rs for sale;
acturer more than 5000. and the fact that
S !. 81 It the cheapest are whoIesaled at loss
S thus matter Of comment that In nearly ali
atalogues, the Gld , e1trsvagant prices are
very case the list price is utterly disregarded
n making O. sale.
Only one house Of any repute has had the
en-. and to face the inference that reduction
adif g, sheapening Of quality One great
throughout, giving only moderate discount
ven at wholesale, but its patrons seem willing
ion would probably result in a loss Of caste.
Al piano makers. however. do not grow rich.
among Rs sadsrs hsTs
one case at least. flndS but little to receive.
cong credits and enormous bills money bor-
owed, and notes discounted at ruinous rates
FORK havoc among these as with other classes
business men. And without copIous adver-
Sing a piano maker might as well close his
oQrs. A piano cannot be sold at q fair price
Mess 1t Is already favorably known.
1t requires q long head as well as a deep
ocket to make good piano, and to sell e
fter 1t Is made.
The tricks and devices for selling the cheap
st pianos are almost as frequently exposed as
le arts OF the bunco expert, yet they are
roilta6ly practised every day, and the fac
Jries thrive.
A glance at the "for sale" column of tho
,urnais will show that one lady will SELF
oyer oyer for $50; and the bargain hunter finds, on
llling, that 1t has Just been sold. but a beau
ought for the moderate price Of $175.
declining housekeeping boldly advertisss
is magnificent Windsor" which, by a singu-
n coincidence. has also cost $3.50 four months
CO. for the same price-sl75. He also has a
It Of new furniture In, the brightest Of pushes
nd shiniest Of varnishes to sell at the same
Turing sacrifices And these people sell
nough to enable them to rent the brown stone
ouses on fashionable streets in which they
niger from day to day, always going but never